COLLEGE FOOTBALL : SPOTLIGHT / SATURDAY’S GAMES AT A GLANCE

IF THE SHOE FITS

Derrick Brooks, the outstanding Florida State linebacker, suffered a sprained ankle in the first half and had to leave the game. With the game starting to slip away, Brooks was antsy to return.

First, he was seen on national television getting his ankle taped. Then he was seen being fitted with high-top shoes fresh from the locker room. After that, he was shown stretching, and it appeared he would soon return.

But then viewers were informed the shoes did not feel right and he was trying on a pair with “AstroTurf cleats.”

Finally, near the end of the half, Brooks returned. On his first play back, Jeff Burris slipped through Brooks’ fingers to score a touchdown.

Must have been the shoes.

THE SHORT LIST

He was hoping to join an elite group.

Barry Sanders gained 2,628 yards for Oklahoma State in 1988. Marcus Allen rushed for 2,342 yards for USC in 1981 and Mike Rozier of Nebraska had 2,184 yards in 1983.

Northern Illinois’ LeShon Johnson, who needed 83 yards to become the fourth player in Division I-A history to rush for 2,000 yards, fell 24 short against Mississippi despite carrying 30 times in the final game of the season for the Huskies (4-7).

Johnson, who ran for 306 yards against Iowa last week, was slowed after suffering a hip pointer in the first quarter. He played sporadically in the second half.

IT WAS A DARK AND . . .

They failed to finish what they started. The Mid-Eastern Conference game pitting Howard University against Morgan State was called with 4 minutes 1 second left because of darkness. Howard was leading, 66-37, and the undefeated Bison were credited with their 10th victory.

The game was called at 4:56 p.m. on a rainy evening in Baltimore’s Hughes Stadium. Neither coach protested the premature end.

BEST GOAL-LINE STAND

Thousands of fans rushed the field after No. 5 Ohio State defeated Indiana, 23-17, to clinch a share of its first Big Ten title since 1986.

State and university police used tear gas to prevent fans from ripping down the goal posts.

WHO CAME UP WITH THIS?

Before you get overly excited about Nevada’s 34-14 victory over New Mexico State in Las Cruces, N.M., hear this one. The game between the Big West Conference schools does not count in the conference standings because the eight other Big West teams have six league games on their schedules.

New Mexico State and Nevada each had seven conference games scheduled this year, so Big West officials decided to drop their head-to-head matchup from the conference standings. The Wolfpack (7-3) and Aggies (5-5) each retain their 4-1 Big West records. Entering the final week of the season, both teams still have a shot at least a share of the conference title.

CROWD CONTROL

Two top-25 games in Pennsylvania drew a combined 18,166, or fewer than a good Texas high school game attracts. Only 7,274 saw No. 9 West Virginia (10-0) defeat Temple, 49-7, in Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, and 10,892 braved a driving rain to watch No. 22 Boston College defeat Pittsburgh, 33-0, in Pitt Stadium.

Next week, look for the bean counters on the sidelines when Pitt travels to Temple for Big East football at its worst.

FAT CHANCE

Senior running back Tony Vinson set an NCAA Division I-AA single-game rushing record with 364 yards in 33 carries as Towson State routed Bucknell, 49-21, at Towson, Md. In attendance was George Young, New York Giant general manager.

Afterward, Young was asked about Vinson’s pro potential. “Just remember what league he is playing in,” Young told the Baltimore Sun.

Hmm. Dave Meggett of Towson is one of the Giants’ top players.

THE REPLACEMENTS

A couple of NFL quarterbacks were removed from the college record books by former El Toro High teammates after Saturday’s results.

At Eugene, Ore., Stanford’s Steve Stenstrom broke John Elway’s single-season Pacific 10 passing record, throwing for 407 yards and three touchdowns against Oregon. Stenstrom, who had a string of 15 consecutive completions, has 3,281 yards for the season, breaking the conference record of 3,242 set by Elway of Stanford in 1982. He also broke the school record for most completions in a season with 273.

At Seattle, Rob Johnson became USC’s single-season passing leader with 2,978 yards. He broke Rodney Peete’s 1988 record of 2,812 yards.

THE PERFECTIONISTS

Seven teams remained undefeated and untied in Division I-A and I-AA. Notre Dame, Nebraska, Auburn, Boston University and Howard improved to 10-0. West Virginia and Pennsylvania are 9-0.

NOTEWORTHY

Virginia Tech (7-3, 4-3 in the Big East) announced it would accept an invitation to the Independence Bowl on New Year’s Eve after its victory over Syracuse.

Trent Dilfer threw four touchdown passes and broke the NCAA record for most consecutive passes without an interception in leading Fresno State to a 45-21 victory against Hawaii at Fresno. Dilfer extended his streak of no interceptions to 238 passes, breaking the mark of 224 set by Virginia’s Matt Blundin in 1991.

Carl Winston of New Mexico set an NCAA record with receptions in 45 consecutive games. He broke the mark of 44 by Ohio State’s Gary Williams from 1979-82. . . . Todd Johnson of Trinity of Illinois set a NAIA record for the most touchdowns in one game with seven. Andre Purvis recovered two blocked punts for touchdowns as No. 15 North Carolina defeated Tulane, 42-10. . . . Dayton’s 56-game unbeaten streak ended against Alabama Birmingham, 27-19.

QUOTEWORTHY

Said Oklahoma State linebacker Keith Burns, after the Cowboys were limited to 31 yards, one first down and failed to cross midfield in a 31-0 loss to Oklahoma: “If you can’t cross the 50 in a game of this magnitude, why play?”

Miami’s Kevin Patrick, a defensive end, saying he was tired of hearing about the big game in South Bend, Ind.: “Lou Holtz and Bobby Bowden could have gotten into a mud-wrestling match and it wouldn’t matter to me.”

Indiana Coach Bill Mallory, explaining what happened when the Hoosiers failed to get the order to go for a field goal after a penalty: “It was a screwed-up mess.”

Archbishop Roger Mahony of Los Angeles, on Notre Dame’s victory over previously No. 1 Florida State: “It’s really unfair for Florida State to come to Notre Dame because of the overwhelming spiritual power at that stadium.”